A Legendary match

Tournament to remain here

The drama of Tiger Woods' one-stroke victory over Ponte Vedra Beach resident Vijay Singh in The Players Championship was not enough to keep thousands of people away from another match across town.

Legends Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus faced each other Monday in the Shell's Wonderful World of Golf at World Golf Village's King & Bear course. Fans got a chance to see the two Hall of Famers play on the course that Palmer and Nicklaus designed together.

The match began the second week of what the Professional Golf Association is calling ''two great weeks of championship golf.'' After The Players Championship, fans can use the same ticket to watch the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, which will begin Friday on the King & Bear.

Legends Tournament director Tim Iley said there were about 4,000 people on hand for the match Monday, and he expects up to 20,000 each day over the weekend.

click photo to enlarge

Jack Nicklaus tees off on the King & Bear course Monday during Shell's Wonderful World of Golf, hosted by the World Golf Hall of Fame.

By RALPH D. PRIDDY, Staff

Iley said the Legends tournament has been a success, and because it features legendary golfers, it is a natural fit with the World Golf Village and World Golf Hall of Fame.

''The plan is there is to be an event here forever and ever,'' Iley said.

Before 1998, the match was held in California for two years. Prior to that, the Legends was played in Austin, Texas.

But Iley said the tournament has found a new, permanent home.

This has made people who work in the World Golf Village ecstatic. Mike Jaworski, the general manager of the PGA Tour Stop, said golf fans in town to see the tournaments were keeping the store crowded. The PGA Tour Stop is a large golf specialty store.

''This is like Christmas from a mall standpoint,'' Jaworski said.

As for the Palmer-Nicklaus match, Shell's Wonderful World of Golf is a series of matches between Hall of Famers on courses throughout the country. Monday's match was a made-for-television event that will air April 3 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Terry Jastrow, executive producer of the series, said the Palmer-Nicklaus match was special.

''Kicking off with Nicklaus and Palmer, the two biggest names in golf, playing on the only course they'll ever design together, is a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity for viewers,'' Jastrow said.

Those in attendance Monday also thought the match was special.

''I came out to see Palmer and Nicklaus,'' said Fran Toste from Neptune Beach. ''I've been watching them play for 40 years, and it was an absolute thrill to see them up close.''

Bob Morgan from Fort Lauderdale also said the best part about Mon-day's match, as well as the Legends Tournament, was the players.

''You get to see all these older, famous legendary golfers,'' Morgan said.

Iley said the Legends tournament ranks high with other Senior PGA Tour events. The tournament has the fifth largest purse on the tour with $1.8 million.

Palmer defeated Nicklaus in Monday's match.

And this year, eight of the 15 living World Golf Hall of Fame members will compete. This includes Palmer and Nicklaus.

''We have players here who don't play anywhere else,'' Iley said.

The reason is the Legends tournament is divided into three age groups, and this allows the older golfers to compete amongst themselves, Iley said. Players between 50 and 59 are in the Legends division, 60- to 69-year-olds are in the Legendary division and players 70 and older are in the Demaret division.

The Legends Tournament will feature 78 senior golfers playing on teams of two. For most of the tournament, the format is best ball.